


Bruises

by SparklingDragonTears



Series: What makes an Argent [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 150_prompts, Abusive Gerard Argent, Child Abuse, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Suicidal Tendencies, Supportive Peter Hale, Young Chris Argent, Young Peter Hale, planning to run away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:14:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21829552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingDragonTears/pseuds/SparklingDragonTears
Summary: Prompt 67: "Put the pills down."“Run away with me,” Peter begged.“You know we can’t,” Chris answered dully. “They’ll kill us both. Also, you’re not even out of school yet.”Peter tipped Chris’ chin to look him in the eye. It was one of those rare times when Chris thought Peter might actually be more mature than him. His eyes were dark. He looked furious, deadly.“He’s going to kill you if you stay here.”--or--Peter finds Chris covered in bruises, staring down an open pill bottle with empty eyes.
Relationships: Chris Argent/Peter Hale
Series: What makes an Argent [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1302899
Comments: 1
Kudos: 98
Collections: Snake Noodle's 150 Prompts





	Bruises

**Author's Note:**

> Number 67: "Put down the pills."
> 
> Enjoy.

“Christopher,” Came the quiet voice from the doorway to his bathroom.

Chris closed his eyes, unable to even look at the teenager’s face. He had no idea how the wolf had gotten into his room, but he should have expected it. Peter had a talent for getting into places he shouldn’t be.

“Put the pills down.” Peter ordered gently, like he were talking to a frightened animal. 

Peter watched him for a moment, legs tensed like springs, ready to jump if Chis made any sudden moves. He could see ugly yellow, green and purple splotches snaking down the man’s arms like horrific tattoos from under his shirt. He was afraid of how still the hunter stood.

Chris didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but somehow half the bottle was tipped into his open hand. He could hear the wolf's footsteps coming closer and held his breath until a warm hand closed over his own, twisting his wrist carefully until he dropped the open bottle and dozens of painkillers into the sink. He didn’t realize how hard he was shaking until Peter’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him to the floor and into his chest. He winced as strong arms pressed against the bruises covering his back. Peter instantly loosened his hold and pulled back to look over the young hunter’s face.

One of Peter’s thumbs came up and brushed across his split lip, the other wiped tears from his cheek. Bright eyes flicked over Chris’ face with worry. Chris did nothing to stop his quiet crying, too numb to even consider feeling embarrassed.

“Run away with me,” Peter begged. Chris had to look away, he couldn’t deal with even the thought of dragging Peter down with him.

“You know we can’t,” Chris answered dully. They’d had this conversation before. “They’ll kill us both. Also, you’re not even out of school yet.” 

Peter shook his head. He tipped Chris’ chin to look him in the eye. It was one of those rare times when Chris thought Peter might actually be more mature than him. His eyes were dark. He looked furious, deadly.

“He’s going to kill you if you stay here.” Peter ground out, trying not to make Chris think he was angry with him. “You’re 20 years old, how long are you going to live in this hell-hole?”

Chris jerked his chin from Peter’s grip and scooted away from him to lean back on the wall. He ignored the sudden cold from the lack of bodily contact.

“Once I finish my degree I’ll leave.” He muttered, although he didn’t sound convinced himself. Peter hummed in response, scooting to lean beside him. He waited a beat, listening to the lie in Chris’ heartbeat.

“What was it this time?” He asked instead with a sigh, changing topics. He nodded to the deep purple lines crossing over the exposed skin, up under Chris' teeshirt. He knew straight lines like that weren’t from training, they were intentionally inflicted.

“He learned his son is still a faggot.” His voice was full of venom and in that moment, Peter saw the hunter he might become. The wolf had to hold back a shiver at the poison dripping from Chris’ words. “Someone told him they saw his son in a back alley with another fucking queer, tongue down his throat. He wouldn’t tell me who told him, but assured me it would be the end of a .45 in my mouth if there was a next time.”

Peter watched Chris’ fists clench hard enough for his knuckles to go white. He saw the spark shining in his eyes and remembered why wolves were wary of hunters. It had been his idea to drag them down that alley. He felt guilty and, if he was honest, a little afraid. Chris looked ready to kill. Peter knew he would never hurt him, but thought that if Chris had a weapon in his hand right now, no one could stop him from going after whoever ratted on them.

“Is that why-?” Peter left it hanging, glancing up at the sink, now full of pills melting in the droplets of water in the basin.

Chis buried his face in his hands in lieu of answering. Peter brought a hand up to his shoulder and rested it there. They sat in silence, Chris trying to gather and calm himself, Peter aching with the scent of misery and shame flooding through the room.

He thought they’d overcome Chis’ internalized homophobia, but god damn Gerard. Peter knew that as long as the man lived, Chris would never allow himself contentment, let alone happiness. They’d been caught only once before by his father, years ago, when they were young and foolish. Gerard had left a few scars across his son’s back after that day. It took weeks for Peter to convince him he wasn’t broken, wasn’t disgusting and wrong. It took months before Chris would touch him again. It was almost a year before Peter convinced him that kissing wasn’t a crime. When Chris finally accepted that he still loved the young wolf, they successfully hid their relationship for the next few years. Peter was distinctly underage, but they only really hid because Chris was terrified of his father. He always had been, and always probably would be. Peter wasn’t sure Chris could ever crawl out from under Gerard's thumb on his own volition.

“Look at me?” Peter asked quietly. His voice was so light, so earnest, that Chris couldn’t help but meet his eyes through his scarred fingers. “You can’t let him win.” 

Peter slid his hand down the damaged skin of Chris’ arm, gently prying Chris’ hand away from his face and linking their fingers together.

“One more year?” He asked, hoping to get Chris to think of the future. “We’ll both graduate and we can go anywhere you want.” 

With a light laugh, Chris shook his head, but not in protest this time. He squeezed Peter’s fingers.

“Will your mother let you run away with an Argent?” He asked teasingly, beginning to feel more like himself. Peter shrugged and rolled his eyes in that arrogant manner that reminded Chris he was still only 16.

“What she doesn’t know…” He gave the hunter a small smile, heart warming when Chris smiled back.

They sat together listening to their breathing echo across the tile room for long enough that a chill began to seep through the wall into Chris’ skin. Peter could hear the other Argents sleeping soundly throughout the house. He wasn’t too worried at the moment, but he noticed the shiver that ran through the hunter and decided it was time for Chris to get some sleep. He stood, feeling Chris’ eyes on him as he turned on the sink and washed away what remained of the pills. When he was satisfied they were all gone, he turned and held a hand out to help Chris up.

Taking his hand, Chris let himself be pulled up, flinching a bit as his skin stretched, pulling at bruises. Peter turned him back into his bedroom and Chris felt a breeze coming through his now open window. He let Peter push him back onto the bed, not missing the way the wolf glanced nervously to his bedroom door, although it was locked from the inside.

“You should be more careful,” Chris whispered, nodding to the window. 

Peter shushed him, kneeling beside him on the bed. He moved slowly, tipping his head to the side to come close to Chris’ lips. He glanced down at the hunter’s mouth, pausing a fraction of an inch from touching, 

Chris felt the wolf’s breath bushing over his skin. Although his heart hammered nervously, he leaned up, closing the space between them. He could feel Peter finally relaxing, tension slipping from the teen’s shoulders the second they touched. They lingered together for a moment before Chris pulled back. Peter grinned at him, eyes soft and love-struck, the way that always made Chris’ stomach flip.

“Get some sleep,” Peter ordered. Chris couldn’t help but smile. “I better leave before I become a rug.”

Leaning up one more time, Chris pressed in for one more easy kiss and pushed lightly at his shoulders.

“Get out of here, mutt.” He mumbled against his lips. Peter huffed a laugh and turned to climb out the window without any further hesitation. 

Just before he slid the glass closed, he looked back over his shoulder to see Chris watching him with a soft smile.

“Thank you, Pete.” He whispered. 

“Remember I love you.” Peter answered just loud enough for Chris alone to hear. Chris ducked his head, but Peter could scent his veiled joy and hear his heart skipping.

“Love you too,” he whispered just this side of silence, as though he were afraid of the world hearing it. Luckily for him, Peter would always hear him.

He slid the window closed and sprung to the ground, heart full. He listened from the shadows as Chris’ bed squeaked while he laid down, the house otherwise silent. He sighed contentedly and headed home, hands shoved in his pockets. He walked slowly, staring at the sky and trying to figure out exactly how many days until they could finally be happy, be free.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Till next time,  
> -J X


End file.
